Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Benny Gantz have agreed to form an emergency government.
A “war cabinet” will also be set up – with Netanyahu, Gantz and the country’s defence minister.
It means that during the war period, “no bills or government decisions will be promoted that do not concern the conduct of the war” and all senior appointments will be automatically extended during the war period.
More details on emergency government and war cabinet
Here’s a bit more on the agreement to form an emergency government in Israel. It comes after days of talks between PM Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Benny Gantz.
Netanyahu first invited the opposition leaders – Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz – to do so on Saturday after the surprise attack by Hamas.
The statement from Netanyahu and Gantz, chair of the National Unity party, released just now reads: “The two agreed on the establishment of an emergency government and a war management cabinet.
“A ‘war management cabinet’ will be established with three members: the prime minister, the defense minister and the chairman of the National Unity”.
There will also be two extra officials serving as observers in the war management cabinet.
“On behalf of the National Unity party a total of five ministers without a portfolio will be added to the political-security cabinet (with one of them as an observer): Benny Gantz, Gideon Sa’ar, Gadi Eisenkot and two other ministers. This is for the duration of the war.”
